Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Landlords: Registration

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatpurposes, if any, they consider will be served by a register of landlords which will not be served by the Landlord–Tenant redress scheme.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is committed to requiring all private landlords to belong to a redress scheme. This will give tenants in the private rented sector a free, non-adversarial route to getting disputes with their landlord resolved outside of court where they have a legitimate complaint about their home. It will also support long-term improvements in the sector.We have also committed to exploring the merits of introducing a national landlord register in England and there are a range of potential benefits that different models of registration could have, which are additional to those served by expanded redress provision.These include, but are not limited to, providing local authorities with intelligence on private rented sector properties in their locality, making it easier for private landlords to understand their obligations and helping tenants decide whether to rent a property.As part of exploring proposals for introducing a landlord register in England, we are considering how the register could interact with wider commitments for reforming the private rented sector.

Local Government: Harrogate

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with Harrogate Borough Council about the arrangements for a by-electionto fill the vacancy in the Marston Moor ward, following thecancellation of the scheduled election by Article 14(1)(a) of the North Yorkshire (Structural Changes) Order 2022.

Lord Greenhalgh: As I explained in my answer to the Noble Lord, Lord Stunell [HL7179], as a consequence of the North Yorkshire (Structural Changes) Order, there remains a vacancy in the Marston Moor ward. My officials have had discussions with Harrogate council's officers and we understand that the council, as a consequence of this vacancy, have made arrangements for the residents of Marston Moor ward to be represented on the district council by a member for a neighbouring ward.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding has been allocated to (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, and (3) Northern Ireland from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in each year since its creation.

Lord Greenhalgh: Every place in the UK will receive a share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund recognising that even the most affluent parts of the UK contain pockets of deprivation and need support.UK-wide, funding for the UKSPF will ramp up to £1.5 billion per year by March 2025. Alongside commitments to support regional finance funds across the UK via the British Business Bank, this upholds the UK government's commitment to match EU structural fund receipts for each nation.The Government will publish a full Prospectus on the fund including allocations shortly.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Russia: Energy

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Global Witness in its article European and US energy companies are responsible for nearly USD 100 billion to Putin’s war chest since Crimea invasion, published on 25 March, that energy companies including BP, Shell and Exxon have paid an estimated $100 billion to Russia since the 2014 Crimea invasion.

Lord Callanan: The Government does not seek to assess the commercial activities of companies carried out within the terms of the law.

Future Fund

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many companies have been scrutinised following quarterly filing of management information under the Future Fund Scheme; and what details are required as part of that management information.

Lord Callanan: Companies receiving investment from the Future Fund did so under a Convertible Loan Agreement (CLA) on standard terms. Schedule 4 of the CLA specifies management information that the company is required to provide each quarter. The British Business Bank scrutinises all management information submitted by Future Fund companies. The CLA is a public document, a copy of which is attached.Convertible-loan-agreement (pdf, 286.5KB)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ukraine: Refugees

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 30 March (HL7011), how many Ukrainian refugees they have helped with the provision of transport to travel to the UK.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 30 March (HL7011), how they are publicising the provision of access to transport for Ukrainian refugees coming to the UK.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are working closely to monitor availability of transport from the region to the UK. Many commercial providers have generously offered free seats to Ukrainian passport holders. GB train operators are working together to provide support to Ukrainian arrivals by introducing the Ukrainian Displaced Persons Travel Scheme, an initiative to provide free onward rail travel to their final destinations in Britain, and many bus and coach operators are also offering free onward travel to final destinations. The GB Travel Scheme went live on Sunday 20 March 2022, and compliments offers made by the European Railway Family, to provide safe and free passage for Ukrainians. As of 1 April 477 Ukrainians have arrived via Eurostar and there have been 212 users of the rail onward travel scheme. FCDO missions around the region have been working as a priority to ensure that information on our visa schemes is widely publicised and that Ukrainian refugees are supported to consider a move to the UK.

Armed Conflict: Nuclear Installations

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Russian attack onZaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on 4 March, what progress they have made, together with international partners, to draw up (1) new, and (2) robust, international standards for the safe treatment of nuclear (a) facilities, (b) installations, (c) waste sites, and (d) materials, in times of war.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Russia's reckless attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station posed an unnecessary risk to nuclear safety and security in Ukraine. The UK convened an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on 4 March to condemn the Russian attack and to call on Russia to act in line with its international obligations. On 15 March, the G7 Non-Proliferation Director's Group issued a statement that welcomed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) efforts to establish a framework agreement on the safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine, and endorsed the seven pillars of the framework. The UK will continue to support the tireless efforts of the IAEA to ensure the safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

West Bank: Roads

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Israel’s plans to develop a road that will enable construction in the E1 area of the West Bank, in particular the impact the road would have on the viability of an independent Palestinian state.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law. We urge the Government of Israel to cease the construction of settlement units in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Morad Tahbaz

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the detention of Morad Tahbaz in Iran; and what steps they will take to facilitate his release.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Iranian authorities committed to allowing Morad to return home to his family in Tehran on furlough, and we expect them to fulfil that commitment. We continue to work with the US to secure Morad's permanent release and departure from Iran and have been clear that he must be allowed to return to his family's home in Tehran immediately. We remain in close contact with Morad's family.We urge the Government of Iran to stop its practice of unfairly detaining British and other foreign nationals, and we will continue to work with likeminded partners to that end. It remains - and always has been - within Iran's gift to release any British national who has been unfairly detained.

Israel: Palestinians

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, together with international partners, to renew efforts (1) to reduce conflict, and (2) to negotiate new peace talks, between Israel and Palestine on the basis of the two-state solution.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK remains committed to making progress towards a two-state solution. On 10 March Minister Milling held a meeting with Israeli Ambassador Hotovely and a meeting with Palestinian Head of Mission Zomlot to discuss the Middle East Peace Process and importance of making progress towards a sustainable solution to the conflict.

Israel: Bedouin

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact the government of Israel’s plans to (1) build 10 new settlements, and (2) resume its forestation work, in the Naqab, will have on the existing Bedouin communities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to follow the debate around unresolved Bedouin land claims, unrecognised Bedouin villages in the Negev and lack of basic services for Bedouin communities. We continue to encourage the Israeli authorities and Bedouin communities to agree a satisfactory solution to these issues.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces and Defence Equipment

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to develop a new model for (1) organising, and (2) equipping, the UK’s armed forces, in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Baroness Goldie: The 2021 Integrated Review (IR) and Defence Command Paper outlines the Government's plan for Defence. It recognised the unprecedented challenges posed by geopolitical shifts, including intensifying competition between states, a widening range of security threats, and rapid technological change. It outlines how our Armed Forces will be organised and equipped to be more agile and adaptable to emerging threats.We are continuing to monitor the situation globally, including in Ukraine, to ensure we remain threat-led and, in line with the agile planning and delivery mechanisms developed following the IR, we will continue to review our capabilities and readiness levels accordingly.

Armed Forces: Housing

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 7 March (HL6243),what assessment they have made of the empty property figure of 20 per cent for Service Family Accommodation; and what steps they plan to take, if any, to reduce that figure.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises it has too many vacant Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties across the Defence estate. The current void SFA rate is 18% . The MOD aims to reduce this to no greater than 10% through an increase in occupation by Service Personnel and a targeted disposal plan.Each year, approximately 15,000 Service Personnel and their families move for operational reasons; the MOD needs to retain vacant SFA to respond to this demand.

Armed Forces: Energy Bills Rebate

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether armed forces families living in Service Family Accommodation will be able to benefit, by virtue of their contribution in lieu of council tax payments, from an equivalent sum to the £150 council tax rebate which is being made available to the civilian population.

Baroness Goldie: I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given by the the Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans (Leo Docherty) to question 119540 on 10 February 2022 to the hon. Member for York Outer (Julian Sturdy).Armed Forces; Council Tax (docx, 14.1KB)

Armed Forces: Housing

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure Service Families are not disadvantaged in meeting rising energy costs by any poorly insulated or otherwise energy-inefficient Service Family Accommodation.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a charging system whereby Service Families who occupy properties with a lower Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating pay a reduced accommodation charge. Currently 96.5% of SFA meet the minimum required EPC rating E.The MOD plans to increase the energy efficiency to a minimum of an EPC rating C on all its homes by 2028. Over the last three years the MOD has invested £25 million per year on improving thermal efficiency in the worst performing homes.

Armed Forces: Housing

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all Service Family Accommodation will follow the requirements of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards which require rental properties to meet a minimum Energy Performance Certificate rating standard of E by April 2023.

Baroness Goldie: Currently 46,250 or 96.5% of Service Family Accommodation in the United Kingdom meet or exceed the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) requirements introduced in 2018 for homes to have a minimum energy rating of 'E' for new and existing occupants. The Department follows the Domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Regulations. Since 1 March 2022 no homes have been allocated for habitation if they are below the EPC assessment of E.

Armed Forces: Housing

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average annual maintenance contract value per housing unit in Service Family Accommodation.

Baroness Goldie: The average annual maintenance contract value per Service Family Accommodation (SFA) housing unit is £922.20.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Quarantine

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the health outcomes of people who were advised to shield from COVID-19 in 2020; and what steps they are taking to protect their ongoing health.

Lord Kamall: In October 2020, NHS Digital published an analysis of the main health outcomes for shielded patients to August and September 2021. This analysis found that individuals on the shielded patient list had higher rates of emergency admissions than those in the age-matched general population sample before the pandemic. This rate reduced sharply for both of these groups in April 2020. The all-cause mortality rate for individuals on the shielded patient list peaked and reduced at an earlier stage than for the age-matched general population sample. Amongst those who were tested under pillar 1 - swab testing in Public Health England’s laboratories and National Health Service hospitals for those with a clinical need and health and care workers - and were in the shielded patient list or the age-matched general population sample, positive tests recorded peaked in early April 2020 in both groups. A copy of NHS Digital’s analysis is attached, due to the size of the data. The shielding programme in England ended on 15 September 2021. Most formerly clinically extremely vulnerable people are no longer considered at substantially greater risk than the general population. These individuals are advised to follow general guidance, in addition to any advice from their general practitioner or consultant to reduce their risk of infection.However, those whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 despite vaccination should consider their individual risk, supported by their NHS clinician where necessary. Enhanced protections such as those offered by treatments, additional vaccinations and potentially other non-clinical interventions may benefit this patient group.TABLE (xlsx, 187.4KB)

Oral Tobacco: Health Hazards

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Kamall on 24 March (HL6032), whether they have conducted analysis of the toxicity levels of (1) nicotine pouches, (2) South Asian chewed tobacco, and (3) snus.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Kamall on 24 March (HL6032) which stated that “the Department does not hold data showing the carcinogen levels of snus or other smokeless tobacco products”, whether theyare aware of the analysis of carcinogen levels in smokeless tobacco products published in Tobacco ControlLevels of toxins in oral tobacco products in the UK, in 2006; and if so, what assessment they have made of this analysis.

Lord Kamall: The Department has not conducted its own independent analysis on the toxicity levels of nicotine pouches, South Asian chewed tobacco or snus but monitors the evidence on these products. Whilst the notification of tobacco products, including South Asian smokeless products, is required under the Tobacco and Related Product Regulations 2016, we do not routinely test notified products other than as required as the Competent Authority for tobacco and herbal products for smoking. The Committee on Toxicity of Food, Consumer Products and the Environment is considering the toxicological risks of tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches and it will publish a position statement once completed. We are aware of the article published in 2006 on the levels of toxins in oral tobacco products in the United Kingdom. Whilst the risks of adverse health outcomes caused by snus are far lower than smoking, snus is banned in the UK. The Government has no plans to introduce additional tobacco products to the UK market, as safer nicotine delivery products are currently available for smokers. There is evidence that snus is associated with risk of adverse health effects and higher all-cause mortality.

Health and Sports: Departmental Coordination

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toestablish a cross-departmental body to ensure improved co-ordination between all departmental providers of (1) sport, (2) health, and (3) wellbeing initiatives; and whether the Department for Health and Social Care intends to lead this initiative.

Lord Kamall: The Government is currently refreshing the School Sport and Activity Action Plan and developing a new cross-government sport strategy. Government Departments are collaborating to embed evidence-based approaches to address inactivity and support health. This includes enabling national and local action to create increase physical activity, supporting health and addressing inequalities. Options for coordination across these strategies are currently being considered by the Departments involved.

Health Professions: Training

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to train more (1) dentists, (2) orthodontists, (3) nurses, (4) cardiologists, and (5) neurologists.

Lord Kamall: The Government currently has no plan to increase the number of dentists and orthodontists in training. Following a three-year review led by Health Education England, the Dental Education Reform Programme has been initiated, which will focus on tackling recruitment and retention challenges and attracting and retaining more dentists and dental care professionals in the National Health Service in geographical areas of need.There is no limit or cap on the number of nursing places at universities. The Department is committed to delivering 50,000 more nurses by the end of this Parliament to ensure a sustainable long-term supply for the NHS. In January 2022, the number of nurses had increased by over 29,000 compared to September 2019. We have introduced a non-repayable training grant of at least £5,000 per academic year for three years for nursing, midwifery and allied health professions. Over 30,000 students have accepted a place nursing and midwifery programmes in the 2021 recruitment cycle - an increase of 28% compared to 2019. We have also increased the number of medical school places in England by 25% from 2018/2019 to 2020/2021, to ensure a greater potential supply of cardiologists and neurologists in future years.

Protective Clothing: Contracts

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many personal protective equipment contracts have been referred to their Anti-fraud Unit since April 2020.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department of Health and Social Care’s anti-fraud unit investigating personal protective equipment contracts (1) has passed, or (2) intends to pass, dossiers of evidence for criminal prosecutions to the Serious Fraud Squad.

Lord Kamall: Due to the emergency nature of the personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement, the Department’s Anti-Fraud Unit received referrals from varying sources on 37 contracts. In many instances, these reflected the exceptional circumstances surrounding PPE procurement and contract award. The Department acted to identify potential for fraud in PPE contracts with high-risk indicators. This prevented or terminated 11 contracts, which avoided a potential fraud loss of £157 million.The Department takes allegations of fraud seriously and explores every available option, including working with law enforcement partners, where appropriate, to bring those who commit fraud to account. However, we are unable to provide details of ongoing counter fraud actions as to do so could prejudice the outcomes.